SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is seeking public comment on a request to exempt from fish passage requirements a proposed culvert at an unnamed tributary to Young’s Bay, which is connected to the Columbia River in Clatsop County. Comments are due by July 14, 2017.

Jim Morinville, the Operations Manager with Warrenton Kia Automotive Dealership, plans to extend a parking area and install a new culvert in an drainage ditch which carries water to an unnamed tributary to Young’s Bay, a tributary to the Columbia River. This action has triggered Oregon’s fish passage laws.

According to Greg Apke, ODFW Fish Passage Program coordinator, ODFW may grant fish passage exemptions if there are no benefits to native migratory fish from providing passage. Because of the site specific habitat conditions and other complete artificial obstructions below the project location, ODFW has made an initial determination that even if fish passage was provided, the action would still result in no net benefit to native migratory fish. If in the future, conditions change from which the decision was made, exemptions can be revoked and fish passage shall be addressed.

Therefore, unless public comment is provided that would affect the Department's determination, the exemption request will be approved.

In the meantime, members of the public will have until July 14, 2017 to submit written comments on the proposed plan. The fish passage exemption application and the Department’s benefit analyses are available at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/passage/ .

Members of the public can send written comments to request additional information from Greg Apke, ODFW Fish Passage Program leader, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, OR 97303, e-mail, Greg.D.Apke@state.or.us, or by calling (503) 947-6228.